Alexander Publishing - Spectrotone Chart (70th Anniversary Edition)

PDF | JPG | 12.39 MB
In Arthur Lange’s own words, the Spectrotone Chart is, “a colorgraphic exposition of tone-color combinations and balance as practiced in modern orchestration.”

The chart is organized by the 88 keys of the piano with each key numbered. The bottom A is 1, and the highest C is 88. Eight colors are used with the lowest pitches colored Purple and the highest, White. The simplistic view is that the chart follows the keys of the piano scale wise. But the real view is that the colors reflect not only the individual instrument’s range but also the intensity of the instrument’s sound as it’s played up the overtone series.

Below the keyboard, we added the Hz frequencies so that its full potential can also be realized in recording and mixing.

The color choices make a lot of sense enabling not only precision orchestral combinations, live and electronic, but also provides a gracious way to communicate with producers and directors in a language they’ll understand since each color has a single adjective to describe it.

White = Brilliant 

Yellow = Bright 

Green = Pleasant 

Blue = Rich 

Orange = Golden 

Red = Glowing 

Brown = Warm

Purple = Mellow
Grey = Dull 

Black = Indefinite

Each tone color has an additional timbre description, here with multiple adjectives for greater definition.

Comes with two (2) detailed PDF training guides.

The Spectrotone Chart is a digital downloaded item, that can be printed out on a variety of sized papers. On a home printer, the printer will resize so you can print out on 8.5x11, A4, and other other papers.

You can take the Spectrotone Chart to a printer such as Staples who have a poster-printer on site. On printout, the Spectrotone Chart is designed for a standard 18" x 24" poster sheet.

Spectrotone Chart instructions are sent to you via PDF download.

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